High Protein Intake Plus Intense Exercise Causes Rapid Fat Loss

Caloric restriction, high-intensity weight training and intervals, and high protein diets caused substantial changes in body composition in only four weeks— according to scientists from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada led by Stuart Phillips and Thomas Longland. Test subjects cut calories by 40 percent and consumed either 1.2 (LP) or 2.4 grams (HP) of protein per kilogram bodyweight per day. Both groups performed intense exercise six days per week. HP lost almost 11 pounds of fat and gained more than 2.5 pounds of lean mass in four weeks compared to nearly eight pounds and 0.2 pounds in the LP group. The study showed that high-intensity exercise plus caloric restriction trigger substantial changes in body composition and strength and that the changes are most significant during a high-protein diet. (American Journal Clinical Nutrition, published online January 27, 2016)